Responding to Text
Good readers are able to read a text and make connections which enable them to form a
deeper understanding of the text. Teaching students how to make these connections allow for
students to read with a purpose and engage them in their reading.
“By teaching students how to connect to text they are able to better understand what they are
reading (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000). Accessing prior knowledge and experiences is a good starting
place when teaching strategies because every student has experiences, knowledge, opinions,
and emotions that they can draw upon.” (Diane Kardash, 2004)
There are several different ways to make connections to text.
Types of connections
Text to self connection
Occurs when we make connections between
personal experiences or feelings and the text
Text to text connection
Occurs when we make connections between other
texts/sources in relation to the text we are reading
Guiding questions and prompts for connections
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Text to world connection
Occurs when we relate the text with what we
already know about the world
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What does this remind me of in my own
life?
How is this similar to my life? How is it
different?
Has anything like this ever happened to
me?
How do I relate to this?
What were my feelings when I read this?
What does this remind me of in another
book/movie/TV show that I have
read/seen?
How is this text similar to other things I
have read/seen? How is it different?
Have I read or seen anything like this
before?
What does this remind me of in the world?
How is this text similar to things that
happen in the world? How is it different?
How did that part relate to the world
around me?
What ideas about the world is the author
reflecting on?
What ideas or issues in the text are
important to the author and to all people?
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When introducing text connections, model the process by using a simple text such as a fairy tale
or text on a familiar topic. After the text has been read, outline the three types of connections
and guiding questions, beginning with text to self.
Making Connections to Text
Title:__________________________________________
Reference
(Quote or information from text)
Author:_________________________
Connection and explanation
(This reminds me of… because…)
Text to Self
Text to Text
Text to World
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Sample of completed Making Connections to Text
Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Reference
Text to Self
Text to Text
Text to World
Author: Sherman Alexie
Connection and explanation
(Quote or information from text)
The story is about a boy
named Junior who was born
slightly different from an
average newborn. He was
born with “too much grease”
on the brain. All his life he
was bullied for being
“different.” That didn’t stop
him from finding hope like
was told to do.
(This reminds me of… because…)
This reminds me of myself a
little because when I was
younger I was bullied a lot by
some students that were in my
class. They put me down a lot
but that didn’t stop me from
giving up. I ignored them and
eventually they stopped so I
kinda know how Junior felt
when he was growing up
In the story Junior is bullied
for being “different.” He only
had one friend all his life,
whose name is Rowdy. When
Junior decided he wanted to
go to school at Reardan
Rowdy wasn’t so happy about
it and that led them to
ending their friendship.
This reminds me of a story I
read awhile ago. It was about a
girl who had to move away
because her parents got new
jobs. When she told her best
friend about it she wasn’t
happy at all about it. Her
friend thought she was getting
betrayed so she told everyone
about the secrets she had told
her friend about which
resulted in their friendship
ending.
This reminds me of what
happens in the real world. So
many people in the world are
bullied for so many reasons.
One of them being for the way
you look.
The book is about a boy
named Junior and all his life
he was picked on by the
students at his old school. He
was even picked on by some
other people but later he left
and he’s gotten a little better.
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Responding to Question Strategies
When students are asked to respond to a given text there are a variety of strategies they can
use to provide a quality answer. The following acronyms may be introduced to students to help
them formulate their answers. The use of these acronyms can progress from the teacher
modelling the strategy, to group execution of the strategy, to independent use of the strategy.
S
M
A
R
T
A
G
R
E
E
state the main idea from the prompt
make a plan, organize the response
answer the question(s)
reasons and examples to support the answer
tie it altogether with a final, powerful statement
answer the question
give an opinion
refer to the text
explain your reference (support it!)
extend beyond (the world, people, etc.)
S
E
E
S
answer the question by making a statement
expand your statement, by writing down what you mean (in
other words, provide an explanation)
support your statement and explanation with examples,
such as a quote or paraphrase from the text
in a sentence or two, state why the idea is important and
apply it to the real world (in other words, provide a
summary)
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Responding to Text Rubric
Score
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Criteria
Responds creatively, personally, and critically
• Response provides an insightful or sophisticated explanation
• Support for the explanation is perceptive or precise
• Ideas may extend to a broader context
Responds personally and critically
• Response provides a clear and developed explanation
• Support for the explanation is logical and specific
4
Fully developed, clear answer with reference to the text (a reference could be a direct quote, an indirect
quote, an example from the text, etc.). Your response shows deep understanding of the text or extends
understanding beyond the text. Student uses specific references to support response to the text.
3
Responds personally and critically
• Response provides a somewhat clear and somewhat developed
explanation
• Support for the explanation is somewhat logical and somewhat
specific
Almost fully developed answer with reference to the text (a reference could be a direct quote, an indirect
quote, an example from the text, etc.) Answer shows understanding of the text. Student uses references to
make connections to text.
Demonstrates limited skill in responding
• Response provides a superficial or undeveloped explanation
• Support for the explanation is illogical or vague
2
Undeveloped answer with little or no reference to the text (a reference could be a direct quote, an indirect
quote, an example from the text, etc.) Answer shows little understanding of the question. Student does not
use references to make connections to text.
1
Demonstrates very limited skill in responding
• Response provides a very superficial or very undeveloped explanation
• Support for the explanation is very illogical or very vague
Does not demonstrate skill in responding
• Response provides no explanation
0
Very undeveloped answer with little or no explanation (no reference to text, at all). Student did not answer
or understand the question.
Adapted from the Manitoba Grade 12 English Language Arts Standards Test Scoring Rubrics
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External Links:
The following link provides a lesson on making connections.
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/making-connections-a30955.html#related-resources
The following link provides an explanation of the text connections and provides strategies on
how to use them in the classroom.
https://sites.google.com/a/alaska.edu/diane-kardash/Home/making-connections
The following link provides a lesson on making text-to-world connections.
http://www.educationoasis.com/curriculum/LP/RE/text-to-world_connection.htm
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